Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to group messaging in a communication network, e.g. a communication network according to EPS.
Related Background Art
Prior art which is related to this technical field can e.g. be found in:
[1] 3GPP TR 23.887 v0.2.1 (August 2012)
[2] 3GPP TS 23.246 v11.1.0 (March 2012)
[3] 3GPP TS 23.041 v11.3.0 (June 2012)
The following meanings for the abbreviations used in this specification apply:
3GPP third generation partnership project
AS application server
BMSC/BM-SC broadcast/multicast service center
CB cell broadcast
CBC cell broadcast center
CBE cell broadcast entity
CBS cell broadcast service
DNS domain name system
E evolved
EDGE enhanced data for GSM evolution
eNB evolved node B
EPS evolved packet system
FQDN fully qualified domain name
GERAN GSM EDGE RAN
GSM global system for mobile communications
GPRS general packet radio system
GW gateway
HPLMN home public land mobile network
IWF interworking function
IMSI international mobile subscriber identity
LA location area
LTE long term evolution
MBMS multimedia broadcast/multicast service
MBSFN multicast-broadcast single frequency network
MCE multi-cell/multicast coordination entity
M2M machine-to-machine
MME mobility management entity
MNO mobile network operator
MTC machine type communication
P packet
PDN packet data network
PLMN public land mobile network
RA routing area
RAN radio access network
RAT radio access technology
S serving
SAI service area identities
SCS services capability server
TA tracking area
UE user equipment
UTRAN universal terrestrial RAN
VPLMN visited public land mobile network
EPS is the successor of GPRS. It provides a new radio interface and new packet core network functions for broadband wireless data access. Such EPS core network functions are an MME, a PDN-GW or P-GW, and an S-GW.
A common packet domain core network is used for both RANs, i.e. GERAN and UTRAN. This common core network provides GPRS services.
Besides others, 3GPP is working on group features in Release 12. Group features include group based charging, group policing and group messaging. Group messaging means that a message (e.g. trigger message) can be sent to a potentially huge number of devices forming a group. Group messaging requirements may apply for MTC devices, smart phones and other devices such as tablets (e.g. for software update notification). Sending messages to a group of devices is also a key requirement for public safety networks.